Religion is a cultural system of beliefs and practices that center on questions about the meaning of life. It may also involve the worship of a supreme being.
It is a very broad term, with many different features and characteristics that distinguish it from other forms of human valuation. For example, it can include a belief in God and an expectation of rewards for good behavior or punishment for bad. It can also entail a commitment to a particular moral code or a set of practices that are intended to bring about a spiritual transformation. It can also be viewed as the source of social cohesion, a means to attain personal and community goals, or an explanation for the origin of the world and our place in it.
The definitions of Religion that are currently in use are extremely diverse. Some include only a belief in a supernatural being and exclude non-theistic religions such as Buddhism. Others are narrower in that they include only the practice of Christianity or a belief in Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior. Some define it as a system of values, including love and a sense of duty to family and community.
The phenomenological approach to Religion, as developed by Durkheim, is one way to understand its function and character. Another way is to take a functional approach, like Paul Tillich’s, in which the definition turns on the role of religion as whatever dominant concern serves to organize people’s values.